Aerospace cluster ready to take flight at Downsview

Aerospace cluster ready to take flight at Downsview
Posted on January 28th, 2013

The proposed Aerospace Campus at Downsview Park will provide a modern and spacious location with proximity to industry, innovation and research.
By Sola DaSilva Courier Staff
Centennial’s aviation programs are about to receive a major boost. It begins with the relocation of the School of Transportation’s aviation programs to a new campus at Downsview Park. Centennial College has formed a partnership with Bombardier Inc. and the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies to promote the creation of an advanced research and innovative aerospace centre.
The plan is to transform the former military airbase at Downsview Park into a centralized location for aerospace research, education and innovation in Ontario. Centennial’s already distinguished programs in Aviation (Aircraft Maintenance and Avionics Maintenance) will relocate to the proposed Aerospace Campus.
According to Allan McClelland, Dean of School of Transportation, this new development will provide Centennial aviation students with exciting new career opportunities.
“The different elements of this cluster [aerospace campus] are a college campus, a university campus, with research space in the middle, engaged with industry.” McClelland said. “We’ll definitely be able to expand our size and capacity. We would be in close proximity to industry, innovation and research so we would be able to provide better opportunities for our students.”
Bombardier Inc. already operates an aircraft assembly facility at Downsview Park and has selected Centennial College to train its existing and future employees.
The move to the Downsview Aerospace Cluster could be as early as fall of 2014. The founding members of this initiative, Centennial College, Bombardier Inc. and the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies are working on establishing relationships with key members of industry and gaining funding from both the federal and provincial levels of government.